Human Performance Expert Reveals Why Most Leaders Fail

In this episode of The Big Table Podcast I sit down with Colby Jubenville: a human performance expert, professor, trusted advisor, and co-author of Zebras and Cheetahs for one of the deepest conversations we’ve had on leadership, identity, burnout, culture, and what really causes people and teams to fail. Colby breaks down the psychology behind bad leadership, why high performers sometimes become toxic, and how unresolved tension destroys organizations from the inside out. We discuss accountability, trust, questions-based leadership, emotional exhaustion, team dysfunction, and why most leaders avoid the hard conversations that actually create growth. We also revisit lessons from our book Zebras and Cheetahs and reflect on over a decade of working together in the business world — from staying in cheap hotels and building consulting businesses to helping leaders scale teams, develop culture, and navigate adversity under pressure. If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, coach, executive, athlete, or someone trying to unlock higher performance in life and business, this conversation will challenge the way you think about leadership and human behavior. Chapters: 00:00 - Dr. Jubenville 02:30 - Zebras and Cheetahs 03:50 - How To Stop Workplace Drama 06:50 -Toxic High Performers 08:31 - The Dysfunction and The Dance 13:45 - Asking Questions 18:38 - The Big Table 19:22 - The Low Hanging Fruit 23:30 - Trusted Advisor 30:30 - Battle Testing 36:45 - People Focus On The Negative 40:30 - Zebras and Cheetahs Revisited 41:10 - How Did We Get Here 43:40 - Like and Subscribe! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\__ Get connected with Coach Burt: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/michealburt TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@therealcoachburt Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CoachMichealBurt LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michealburt Dive deeper with Coach and his concepts: Free PreyDrive Planner: https://planner.coachburt.com/planner Events: https://www.thegreatnessfactory.com/events Join Our Group Coaching: https://www.thegreatnessfactory.com/membership Hire Me To Speak: https://www.coachburt.com/bookcoach Check Out My Books: https://books.coachburt.com/books